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2023 Best Value Colleges for Social Work in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

83 Ranked Colleges
10,126 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 57,401 social work students received their degree, making the major the 9th most popular in the country.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 10,126 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 83 colleges that offered a degree in social work. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social work programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Work in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

1

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #1 spot on the list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 617 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

IUPUI also took the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $12,416 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at IUPUI

2

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 226 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for Great Lakes Region Social Work students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC Social Work Report

3

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 403 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region social work students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $14,878 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full U-M Social Work Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 251 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

UIC also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,214 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at UIC

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 208 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $17,234 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Social Work Report

6

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Whitewater also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,417 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Full UW - Whitewater Social Work Report

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 108 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Eau Claire did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,051 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

8
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #8, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school awarded 81 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

Ball State also took the #16 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,765 for Great Lakes Region Social Work students with aid per year to attend Ball State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Social Work Report

9

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 60 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Oshkosh not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $14,687 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

10

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 252 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UWM also took the #13 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UWM is $17,486 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read more about Social Work at UWM

11

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 526 students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $16,845 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Ohio State University - Main Campus

12

Indiana University - Northwest came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - Northwest is a small public school situated in Gary, Indiana. It awarded 35 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $6,363 for Great Lakes Region Social Work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at Indiana University - Northwest

13

Indiana University - South Bend landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. South Bend, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,646 for great lakes region social work students with aid per year to attend Indiana University - South Bend.

Read full report on Social Work at Indiana University - South Bend

14
IU East crest
Indiana University - East
Richmond, Indiana

With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - East did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Richmond, Indiana, this small public school handed out 15 degrees to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - East is $9,285 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read more about Social Work at IU East

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 57 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stevens Point, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Stevens Point is $13,346 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

16
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 453 students in 2020-2021.

Wayne State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wayne State University is $13,962 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at Wayne State

17

With a ranking of #17, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 99 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $13,092 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

18

Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 164 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $12,225 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

Full Youngstown State University Social Work Report

19
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Aurora, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social work degrees to 712 students in 2020-2021.

Aurora also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Aurora is $16,994 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Aurora

20
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 76 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $19,058 for great lakes region social work students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Social Work at Michigan State University

21

With a ranking of #21, University of Wisconsin - Superior did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Superior, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,084 for great lakes region social work students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Superior.

Full University of Wisconsin - Superior Social Work Report

22
Saginaw Valley State University crest
Saginaw Valley State University
University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Saginaw Valley State University is a public institution located in University Center, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 142 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Saginaw Valley State University is $14,279 for Great Lakes Region Social Work students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Saginaw Valley State University

23
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 102 degrees to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,213 for great lakes region social work students with aid per year to attend Ferris.

Read full report on Social Work at Ferris State University

24

University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,844 for great lakes region social work students with aid per year to attend UW - River Falls.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at UW - River Falls

25
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,619 for Great Lakes Region Social Work students with aid per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Social Work at Indiana University - Bloomington

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